Many agricultural vehicles, such as tractors, have so-called structural engines, that is to say engines that form a structural part of the vehicle chassis. In such vehicles, the engine does not only act as the prime mover for driving the vehicle but is relied upon to give strength to the vehicle chassis. The oil sump or oil pan of the engine is constructed as a heavy component made of cast metal which is used to add to the stiffness of the engine block.
The substantial oil sump adds to the overall height of the engine and leads to packaging problems in particular in an agricultural vehicle having a four-wheel drive system because the propeller shaft leading to the front axle needs to pass directly beneath the sump. This means that the engine block and with it the entire drive train have to be raised to allow clearance for the propeller shaft.
The present invention seeks to enable the sump to have a sufficient oil capacity to meet the needs of the engine without having to raise the whole engine block.